With some shutdown pain points delayed for now, talks in Congress are 'nowhere'

"With the Trump administration staving off some of the most painful impacts of the government shutdown, and a federal court ruling pausing layoffs for thousands of federal workers, the sense of urgency on Capitol Hill for a way out of the stalemate may be gone at least for right now. In past shutdowns, Congress passed legislation to cover paychecks for the military, while headlines about things like closed national parks and shuttered agencies unable to provide services turned up the heat on both parties."

"On Tuesday, the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a post on social media that it was "making every preparation to batten down the hatches and ride out the Democrats' intransigence." The administration's efforts have taken several forms. The Pentagon shifted money around to cover the Oct. 15 paychecks of servicemembers. The administration tapped $300 million in tariff revenue to keep a nutrition program for low-income women and children operational."

The federal government shutdown entered a fourth week as Senate efforts to advance funding failed and the Senate recessed. Speaker Mike Johnson declined to bring the House back until Senate Democrats endorse a stopgap measure passed by the House to fund agencies through Nov. 21. The White House and administration agencies stepped in to blunt major effects by reallocating funds: the Pentagon shifted money to cover Oct. 15 military paychecks, $300 million in tariff revenue was used to sustain a nutrition program for low-income women and children, and the administration pledged to pay roughly 70,000 DHS law enforcement officers. A federal court paused planned layoffs for thousands of federal workers.

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